Needle threader and loop lifter for use with surgical stitching instruments



J. D. KARLE NEEDLE-THREADER AND LOOP-LIFTER FOR USE WITH SURGICAL STITCHING INSTRUMENTS Filed April 23, 1943 Feb. 18,- 1947.

Patented Feb. 18, 1947 NEEDLE THREADER AND LOOP LIFTER FOR USE WITH SURGICAL STITCHING INSTRU- MENTS John D. Karle, Roselle Park, N. assignor to The Singer Manufacturing Company, Elizabeth, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application April 23, 1943, Serial No. 484,210

Claims.

This invention relates to a device designe to be used in conjunction with a surgical stitching instrument of the type employing a curved eyepointed needle such as shown, for example, in my United States Design Patent Des. 133,827, Sept. 22, 1942, and illustrated and described more specifically in my United States Patent No. 2,348,218, May 9, 1944.

In a surgical stitching instrument of this type a suturing thread passes from a spool, carried by the instrument, through a thread-guide at the forward end of the instrument an thence through one or more thread-eyes formed in the blade of the curved needle.

During use of the instrument, the point of the needle is inserted into the flesh tissue at one side of a wound to be closed and is caused to emerge from the tissue at the opposite side of the wound. This passes a loop of the suturing thread through the flesh tissue beneath the surface of the wound. Thereafter the free end of the thread is pulled through the needle puncture and the needle is retracted and withdrawn from the flesh tissue, thereby leaving the suturing thread extending through the needle puncture with a portion thereof projecting, in opposite directions, from the points of entry and emergence of the needle. These portions are thereafter tied together to form the suturing stitch.

Inasmuch as surgical suturing instruments are almost always handled with rubber gloves consid erable difficulty heretofore has been experienced in threading the suturing thread through the eye (or eyes) of the needle and also in grasping one limb of the thread loop passed through the flesh tissue to draw the free end of the thread through the needle puncture.

This invention has as an object to provide a simple and inexpensive implement which will serve the dual function of threading the needle and of lifting the free limb of the needle loop and pulling the free end of that limb through the needle puncture in the flesh tissue.

Another object of the invention is so to con.- struct the combined needle-threader and looplifter that, when used as a loop-lifter, the needlethreader will be guarded against accidental contact and damage.

- Another object of the invention is so to construct the implement that the member which serves as a guard for the needle-threader may also serve as an extension of the handle of the loop-lifter, thereby facilitating the handling'of.

the implement when used to lift thread loops, and

. 2 I especially when performing sub-surface or'cavity suturing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide simplified means for holding the handle extension of the loop-lifter selectively either in position to expose the needle-threader, for a needle-threading operation, or in position to protect the needle-threader when the implement is used as a loop-lifter.

A further object of the invention is to provide means to attach the combined needle-threader and loop-lifter to the hand of a user so as to prevent accidental dropping of the implement.

A still further object of the invention is to provide improved and simplified means for removably securing the needle-threading wire loop in its supporting element.

With the above and other objects in view, as will be hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing my im proved implement in the operation of threading a needle of a surgical stitching instrument.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the implement being used as a loop-lifter to pick up the free limb of a thread-loop passed through flesh tissue by the surgical stitching needle.

, Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly in section, of

my improved implement with the needle-thread-.

away, of the principal element of the improved needle-threader and loop-lifter.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of the element, shown in Fig. 7 but showing, in addition, a wire-loop retaining plug about to be inserted therein.

Fig. 9 is an enlarged sectional View, taken on the line 9-9 of Fig. '7, but with the wire-loop retaining plug in its effective position.

Fig. 10 is a section on the line Ill-l0 of Fig. 9.

invention is disclosedas embodied in a combined needle-threader and loop-lifter comprising a rodlike main body-member I having, at one end, a substantially diamondshaped wire loop 2 formed from a spring steel wire 2, adapted to serve as a needle-threader, as later will be described, and at its opposite end, a curved and tapered hook-portion 3 designed to serve as :a loop-lifter and preferably having therein a thread-engaging notch 3 which prevents the suture thread from accidentally sliding off the hook-portion 3. Slidingly mounted on the member I is a sleeve-like sheet metal sheath .or guard 4 which, when in the position shown in Figs. l

and 3, is retracted to expose the needle-threading loop 2 When the device is to :beusedasa looplifter the sleeve 4 is slid lengthwise of the member I to the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 in which the sleeve serves to protect the wire loop 2 and also as an extension of the handle @of the looplifter. 7

To limit the movement of the :sleeve on the member I and frictional'ly to retain it in each of its extreme positions thereon, the sleeve is formed with a flattened and depressed slightly resilient portion 5 which, in its oppositely directed movements, alternately engages the oppositely inclined fiat surfaces 6 and I on the member I and abuts the shoulders 8 and 9 thereon. This flattened portion 5 is preferably formed by making two saw cuts s across the sleeve 4 and depressing and flattening the metal therebetween.

The wire 2 forming the needle-threading loop i is preferably secured to the member I by having its free end portions 2 inserted into an axial bore I0, in the member I, to a position in which they intersecta transverse aperture II. A plug I2, of slightly less diameter than the aperture II and having rounded ends, is thereafter driven into that bore thus causing the end portions 2 of the wire to be turned down and forced into contact with the wall of the aperture I I, as shown in Fig. 9. This securely fastens the wire 2 in the member I but permits it to be removed therefrom .and replaced by another, should the wire loop be damaged or broken. To remove the wire from the member I it is necessary only to drive out the plug I2 and then withdraw the wire from the bore ID. A new wire may then be inserted and secured as above described.

Operation of needle threader When the device is used as a needle-threader the guard sleeve 4 is retracted, as above described, to expose the wire-loop 2 The surgical stitching instrument I is then held in one hand of the user with the needle N projecting therefrom. With the thumb and index finger of the other hand grasping the device, the user projects the wire loop '12 through an eye E of the needle, the loop 3 contracting as it passes through the needle-eye Operation of loop-lifter When the device is to be used as a loop-lifter the guard sleeve 4 is extended, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, to protect the needle-threader loop 2 and to afford an extended handle for the loop-lifter.

, Fig. '2 illustrates the device being used as a loop-lifter during a suturing operation. In this use, the needle N is passed through the flesh tissue, entering and emerging from opposite sides of the wound W to be closed. In its passage through the flesh tissue, the needle carries with it a bight of the suture thread. One limb L of the bight extends, chord-like, from the point where the needle emerges from the flesh tissue to the eye of the needle adjacent the point thereof.

With the device held between the thumb and index'finger, the user engages, withthe hook 3, the chord-like limb L of the loop which constitutesthe free end e of the thread. Then by moving the device away from the wound, the free thread-end e is drawn through the needle puncture so that it thereafter projects from the flesh tissue at that side of the wound from which the point of the needle emerged. The needle is then retracted and the supply-end of the suture thread projects from the flesh tissue at the opposite side of the wound. The two oppositely projecting portions of the thread are thereafter tied together to complete a'suturing stitch as shown at S'in Fig. 2.

For certain purposes, it may be advantageous to grasp the device close to hooked end portion thereof. To facilitate this use of the device the member 5 is preferably formed with a flattened portion I which affords means for preventing accidental rotation of the devic in the fingers of the user.

To prevent accidental dropping of the device, means is provided whereby itmay be attached to the'thum'b 0r finger of the user. This means preferably comprises a flexible chain 13 connected, at one end, to a sleeve I4 rotatably mounted on the member 1 intermediate one end of the sleeve 4 and a fixed collar I5 011 the member I. The opposite end of the chain 13 is connected to an expansible and contractible split wire ring it having off-set end portions ll and i8. This ring is adapted to be placed upon the thumb or finger of a user as shown, for example, in Fig. '2. The ring normally contracts to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 3 but. may be expanded to the position shown in dotted lines in that figure, to facilitate the placing thereof on the thumb or finger of the user, by pressing together the off-set end portions I1 and i8.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that this invention has provided a simple and easily manipulated device adapted to perform twofunctions in conjunction with the formation of suturing stitches viz. the threading of "the needle and the lifting of the loop and pulling out of the free thread end. It will also be apparent that the device contains one element, to wit the sleeve '4, which serves the dual function of protecting the needle-threader loop 2 against accidental dam age and also as an extended handle when the device is used as a loop-lifter.

Having thus set forth "the nature of the inv-enpered portion affording afho'ok having, on its con-'- cave side, a notch adapted to iengageuand draw out from flesh tissue the free end of a limb of a thread-loop passed through said tissue by the needle, and guard means on said member shiftable to a position in which it prevents accidental.

contact with said needle-threading element and constitutes an extended handle for said loop-en gaging portion.

2. A device for use in conjunction with a surgical stitching instrument comprising a rod-like memberhaving, at one end, a needle-threading element adapted to thread the needle of the i strument and at its opposite end a curved and tapered portion affording a hook having, on its concave a notch adapted to engage and draw out from flesh tissue the free end of a limb of a thread-loop passed through said tissue by the needle, a sleeve slidingly mounted on said member and shiitable thereon to two predetermined positions in one of which it exposes the needle-threading element and in the other of which it envelops said element and constitutes an extended handle for said loop-engaging portion, and friction means for holding said sleeve in each of its two predetermined positions.

3. A needle-threader comprising a rod-like member having at one end a needle-threading element, said rod-like member having, intermediate its ends, a pair of oppositely inclined flat surfaces each terminating in a transverse stop shoulder, a sleeve slidingly mounted on said member and having a depressed portion adapted, in its sliding movements, alternately to engage said stop shoulders to limit the axial movement of said sleeve and yieldingly to bear upon said flat surfaces to retain said sleeve in its adjusted positions and to prevent relative rotation between said member and said sleeve.

4. A needle-threader comprising a rod-like member having in one end an axial bore and a 6 transverse hole intersecting said bore, a spring wire needle-threading loop projecting from the end of said member and having straight leg portions extending into said bore, and a plug driven into said hole and deflecting the extremities of said leg portions substantially at right angles to the adjacent leg portions and binding said extremities against the wall of said transverse hole. 5. A needle-threader comprising a rod-like member having in one end an axial bore and a transverse hole intersecting said bore, a needlethreading element carried in said bore, a plug driven into said transverse hole to hold said heedle threading element in said bore, said rod-like member having intermediate its ends at least one inclined fiat surface terminating in a transverse stop shoulder, a sleeve slidingly mounted on said member and having a depressed portion adapt REFERENCES CITED lhe following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 43,100 Cox June 14, 1864 229,402 Haff June 29, 1880 362,593 Wells May 10, 1887 1,144,504 Schneider June 29, 1915 2,042,403 Hrivnak May 26, 1936 2,666,358 Kurkjian July 2, 1935 

